Existing methods and systems for accessing wireless communication networks allocate resources to a communication link between the network infrastructure (e.g., a base station) and a mobile communication device (e.g., a smart telephone, a two-way radio, and the like (sometimes generically referred to as “user equipment”)). To help maintain a required quality of service (QoS) for communications with a particular user device, the resources are allocated according to an allocation scheme.
In a public safety domain, to ensure a suitable user experience, the quality of service is typically set by the network infrastructure (e.g., a base station) and is unchanged during service. A modulation scheme is used to modulate the carrier signal of the communication link. Certain modulation schemes require a greater number of resources to maintain the quality of service, than other modulation schemes. In existing systems, the air interface bit rate (e.g., the bit rate of the communication link between the user device and the base station) must match the bit rate consumed by an application of the user device at all times in order to maintain the required quality of service.
These aspects of wireless communications may be better understood by reference to the communication system 10 shown in FIG. 1A. The communication system 10 includes a plurality of base stations 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, and 15e configured to provide access to a network. A mobile communication device 18 may travel along a route 20 having an array of location points 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d, and 25e. While traveling along the route 20, the mobile communication device 18 enters and exits a plurality of coverage areas 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e of the base stations 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, and 15e. As illustrated, when at point 25a, the mobile communication device 18 is within the coverage area 30a, when at point 25b, the mobile communication device 18 is within the coverage area 30b, etc. A different modulation scheme may be used in each of the different coverage areas 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e. For example, coverage area 30a may use, for example, a sixty-four quadrature amplitude scheme (QAM) scheme, while coverage area 30b uses a sixteen quadrature amplitude scheme (QAM) scheme, coverage area 30c uses a four quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) scheme, coverage area 30d uses a sixteen quadrature amplitude scheme (QAM) scheme, and coverage area 30e uses a sixty-four quadrature amplitude scheme (QAM) scheme.
FIG. 1B is a graph illustrating an allocation scheme 50 of the communication link between the plurality of bases stations 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, and 15e and the mobile communication device 18, while travelling along the route 20. As illustrated, in order to meet the required quality of service (QoS) (e.g., a guaranteed bit rate of the quality of service (QoS), such as a predetermined uplink data rate and a predetermined downlink data rate), the wireless communications system 10 allocates resources in real time so that the air interface bit rate and the bit rate consumed by an application of the mobile communication device 18 are matched. Therefore, in the communication network 10, in order to meet the quality of service (QoS), more resources must be allocated when using a low-efficiency modulation scheme, such as the four quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) scheme (e.g., at location points 25a and 25e, when the mobile communication device 18 is located within coverage areas 30a and 30e) rather than the sixteen quadrature amplitude (QAM) scheme (e.g., at location points 25b and 25d, when the mobile communication device 18 is located within coverage areas 30b and 30d). Additionally, more resources must be allocated when using the sixteen quadrature amplitude (QAM) scheme than a high-efficiency modulation scheme, such as the sixty-four quadrature amplitude (QAM) scheme (e.g., at location point 25c, when the mobile communication device 18 is located within coverage area 30c) and the allocation of resource in the communication system 10 is inefficient and may lead to resource starvation.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems of accessing a wireless communication network using a navigation route of user equipment.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.